This invention relates to the field of fruit and vegetable produce packaging. More specifically, this invention relates to packaging which was developed to keep larger sliced produce, such as sliced watermelon, viable, for consumption after processing, at a high quality level and freshness for consumption, and easy for the consumer to carry home.
The processing of sliced watermelon typically begins on the farm where whole watermelons are grown and harvested. They are then shipped to terminal markets where they are sold and delivered to packing houses where the watermelons are received and processed prior to distribution to markets or grocery stores. Watermelons are then shipped to markets or grocery stores where preparation of pre-sliced fruit takes places. The watermelons are sliced as desired, typically in a grocery store's preparation room, and then packaged for sale. Alternatively, food preparation may take place off-site, e.g., when grocery stores or chain retail stores are unable to provide food preparations. In these situations, the watermelons are sliced off-site, e.g., by food preparation companies, packaged and shipped to the retail destination for sale.
Whether preparation of sliced watermelon occurs on-site or off-site, the goal of keeping the sliced pieces viable for consumption and void of contamination are desired, especially during transport. Prior methods of watermelon packaging generally rely upon plastic cling wrap (e.g., Saran™ wrap) wrapped around the sliced watermelon with rind. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,493, hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a plastic wrap with a cling layer, which is commonly used to package watermelon slices. However, these methods have shown to have a number of problems in food safety and consumer convenience.
Plastic wrap is generally unreliable and will not cling to the food or itself if there is moisture or food particles present. This is particularly bothersome when wrapping produce that contains high water content. Even when there is no moisture present, the “cling” is often not strong enough to keep the food covered. It also does not have the benefit of being reusable since most consumers have difficulty in reusing plastic wrap more than once, either because it is too messy or will not cling properly after coming into contact with moisture or food. Dispensing plastic wrap off of the roll can also be an inconvenient process, being difficult to dispense or hard to tear without it self-sticking.
Plastic wrap has also been shown to have shortcomings in food safety. Depending on the material that the plastic wrap is made out of, some materials are more permeable than others, allowing air and moisture to pass through. This may decrease the shelf life of the fresh fruit. Watermelon slices that are covered with plastic wrap have also been found to harbor considerably more bacteria than unwrapped watermelon slices. This suggests that plastic wrap may also provide a convenient breeding ground for bacteria.
The present invention seeks to provide an alternative to plastic wrap for consumers of processed watermelon which improves food safety, convenience, and maintains high levels of watermelon quality and freshness.